Inspired by an uncle who served in the Navy, Michael Figueroa Osorio enlisted at 18 as a hospital corpsman. That service led to a lifelong commitment to��public health. “It’s a role full of pride,” Figueroa Osorio said, of his time in the Navy. “At first, I was just doing it for fun, to get my feet wet and figure myself out. But then I found myself in a collective where I felt like I belonged.”

From service to purpose

After completing his corpsman training, Figueroa Osorio enrolled in additional schooling and testing to become a preventive medicine technician, a public health-focused role that involved administering vaccinations, running disease prevention programs and conducting sanitation inspections.

In 2021, he deployed to Kabul during the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan, providing medical care at Abbey Gate, one of the main airport checkpoints.

“We were working 24 hours on, 24 hours off, providing direct care,” he said. “A lot of these people had been through a lot – broken noses, broken bones, malnourished. I remember seeing pregnant mothers and thinking about my own mom. I was like, man, I cannot wait to give my mom a hug.”

On Aug. 26, 2021, a suicide bombing killed 13 service members and dozens of Afghan civilians.

“I could have died that day,” Figueroa Osorio said, “and ever since that day, I’ve told myself I always want to do more.”

He decided to apply his Navy experience back home by pursuing a career in public health. His first stop: UW-Milwaukee.

Coming home to serve

At UW-Milwaukee, things started to click as Figueroa Osorio connected his studies to his experiences growing up on Milwaukee’s south side. “We were talking about systemic issues in class — how the poor stay poor, and the rich get richer, and why medical care and food are so expensive,” he said. “I started connecting the dots in my own life. This is why we struggled so much growing up.”

He also found encouragement. One particular moment stands out: During his final field experience presentation, a professor addressed his imposter syndrome. “He looked at me and was like, ‘You belong.’ That hit me hard. It still does now. I was like, ‘I do, yeah, I do.’”

Rooted in community

Figueroa Osorio completed his bachelor’s degree in public health in May 2025 and is continuing into a master’s program in Community & Behavioral Health Promotion. He says one of his long-term goals is to be a leader in his field — not only to shape public health but to inspire others who come from a background like his. Before graduation, Figueroa Osorio began working as the food pantry coordinator at Bay View Community Center, serving many of the same neighborhoods he grew up in.

“I try to run it in a way where we can teach people and help people out,” he said.

In addition to distributing food and other household products, Figueroa Osorio partners with other organizations to offer food demos, mental wellness kits and health literacy classes.

“I’m proud of the purpose I’ve found again after the Navy,” he said. “This doesn’t feel like a job to me. This feels like something I am meant to do.”

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Following the presentations, students in the BSPH and the BS in Nutritional Sciences program enjoyed a keynote address by Valerie MacMillan, Executive Director of . MacMillan discussed key issues surrounding food insecurity and encouraged students to get involved in meaningful ways.��

The event concluded with a graduation celebration, where students were recognized with honors and graduation cords. Students receiving commencement honors included Sydney Bohaman, Laura Czapiewski, Kylie Degner, Michael Figueroa Osorio, Henry Jacob, Maxwell Sharkey, and Ashlyn Rose. 

We’re also excited to have two students continuing into a Zilber College master’s program: Michael Figueroa Osorio will be continuing in the MPH Community and Behavioral Health Promotion Track, and Nick Wielgosz will be continuing in the MS in Biostatistics. 

Also, two students were offered jobs before graduation!��Taofiqat Jimoh��was offered a full-time position at her Field Expeirence site,��.��Syndey Boham��was offered a position as an Environmental Health Specialist with the City of Watertown Public Health Department.��

We are so proud of our BSPH students and all they have accomplished! 

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We’re so proud of all our MPH graduates!��

• Erica Brincka, Nutrition & Dietetics��
• Cianna Colon, Nutrition & Dietetics��
• Emma Durkin-Wagner, Epidemiology��
• Kate Enriquez, Environmental Health Sciences��
• Carlos Galvan, Epidemiology��
• Rachel Goochey, Environmental Health Sciences��
• Madelyn Hill, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion��
• David Jakubek, Nutrition & Dietetics��
• Delaney Ortiz,��Nutrition & Dietetics��
• Ifadha Jayah, Public Health Policy��
• Marcel Kline, Epidemiology��
• Kayla Lane, Environmental Health Sciences��
• Riley Leckwee, Epidemiology��
• Afrah Yafai, Epidemiology��
• Hailey Jaschob, Epidemiology��
• Evelyn Kurtz, Epidemiology��
• Maria Mundt,��Community and Behavioral Health Promotion��
• Hannah Neuman, Public Health Policy��
• Xiarah Ortiz, Public Health Policy��
• Vanessa Ramirez, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion��
• Brooke Ramusack, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion��
• Alyssa Ruediger, Biostatistics��
• Stephanie Siwak, Epidemiology��
• Danijela Skilijevic, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion��
• Lauren Smith, Epidemiology��
• Hannah Sorensen, Public Health Policy��
• Kyriaki Topetzes, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion��
• Benjamin Wells, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion��
• Alexis Young, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion

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Ask a student: What has been your favorite part of your placement? 
Mohamad Zairul, BSPH recent-graduate: “Learning about the different resources at the State Health Department. I also really loved the surveillance that I did!” 

Ask a preceptor: What do you love about being a preceptor? 
Katherine McCoy, Wisconsin DHS- Occupational Health: “I love the enthusiasm, passion and innovation that students like Mohamad bring to this work. It keeps me energized and hopeful for the future of public health.” 

Student and preceptor fun fact: If you could live in any fictional world (from books, movies, or games), where would you choose and why?
Mohamad Zairul: “Spongebob. I’d ask him how he stays so positive all the time!” 

Katherine McCoy: “Spongebob is a tough act to follow! But if we’re not limited by reality, I’d ask Dr. Alice Hamilton how she stayed motivated and inspired to make such a difference for workers’ health at a time when both workers and women were undervalued. I think she and Spongebob would make a fabulous duo for our show!” 

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• Non-Profit
  • Alaafia��
  • Mental Health America of Wisconsin��
  • MKE FreshAir Collective��
• Local Health Departments
  • North Shore Health Department (2 students)��
  • Oak Creek Health Department��
  • Southwest Suburban Health Department��
  • Wauwatosa Health Department��
• Community Health Centers
  • Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers��
• Academia
  • Medical College of Wisconsin- Comprehensive Injury Center (2 students)��
  • University of Minnesota-Pediatrics Department��
  • UW-Milwaukee Student Health and Wellness Center (2 students)��

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What did you like most about your Field Experience?

My favorite parts of my field experience at the City of Milwaukee Health Department were the bench work, everything I learned, making new connections and building my professional network.

Tell us more about your project for the City of Milwaukee Health Department.

The focus of my project has been beach monitoring. I have compared two filtering methods to ensure that we are analyzing for E. coli levels accurately, and  that beaches are closed in the most effective way. I completed the bench work, followed by the data analysis portion of the project. I then created graphs comparing both filtering methods and prep methods.

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What did you like most about your Field Experience?

I would say that what I liked most about the Field Experience was the opportunity to contribute to a local organization, while also gaining real-world skills and experiences. It gave me an approximation of what to expect after graduation.

Why was your project important to the organization?

My project was important for a few reasons. First, the end product was needed to provide the leadership of the City of Wauwatosa with an estimate of what enacting a short-term rental license and regulatory program would entail. I also created guidelines based on best practices throughout the state for the physical inspection that will occur before licensing. Finally, the project was also timely in the sense that the Department wanted to have this program ready for implementation before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.

How did your field experience prepare you for a career in public health?

The field experience prepared me for a career in public health in numerous ways. The experience gave me invaluable lessons in the inner workings of a local public health department. My preceptor was very helpful and continues to be a valuable resource, both for networking and for their public health knowledge. The process also taught me firsthand knowledge of crafting policy in real world settings, and how fluid that process has to be to be effective.

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View field experience product

What did you like most about your Field Experience?
What I liked most about my Field Experience was the ability to work alongside numerous professionals in a public health setting. This was a really valuable experience where I got to explore the many different areas that operate a health department.

Why was your project important to the organization?
My project was important for the health department because it gave them an oversight into a health topic that was important to the community. Hopefully the resources I shared can contribute to improving health literacy within the community.

How did your field experience prepare you for a career in public health?
My field experience gave me the opportunity to develop myself professionally by forming new connections and also finding a field which felt right for me. The skills I learned and relationships I built during my experience are irreplicable and vital factors that prepared me for a career in public health.

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